BODY FOUND AFLOAT MAY BE ABDUCTEE

Nancy Lawson and William PreseckyCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Authorities believe the body of an unidentified man found in the Salt Creek near North Riverside matches the description of a man reported abducted from outside a Carpentersville restaurant a month ago.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said the victim died of multiple gunshot wounds. The office performed an autopsy on the body Thursday but was waiting for X-rays from Carpentersville police on Friday before making a positive identification.

Three boys canoeing on the creek Wednesday found the decomposed, partially submerged body where the creek passes through the 26th Street Woods, near 19th Avenue and 23rd Street.

Forest Preserve District Police Chief Steven Castans said his investigators were expected to turn over results of their preliminary investigation to authorities in Carpentersville.

The man reported abducted in Carpentersville was identified by police as Jesus Zamudio, 37, of 1955 Cherokee Rd. He was last seen March 27 outside Fruteria La Michoacana, a Mexican grocery on Illinois Highway 25, police said.

Witnesses told police Zamudio was quarreling with at least three men when he was forced into a 1989 black Cadillac, said Carpentersville Detective John Yost.

"All the information we have says that there was foul play here. There is some indication of a business dealing gone bad," Yost said.

He would not elaborate on the "business dealing" but said the three men were identified by witnesses as known gang members.

Zamudio was not known to be in a gang, police said. But Zamudio's brother, Adrian, believes his brother may have been killed because of his knowledge of one of the men's drug dealings, according to a statement issued by Carpentersville police.

Police searched a house and garbage bags on the 900 block of Berkley Street, where they believe Zamudio was shot and killed the day he was abducted.